Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua is tapping into Kenya’s shifting political landscape, drawing aspirants from established parties as he builds his new political vehicle.
This comes as leaders linked to NARC–Kenya, one of the country’s longstanding reformist outfits, begin to gravitate towards the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), signalling early realignments ahead of the next General Election.
NARC–Kenya traces its origins to the historic National Rainbow Coalition that propelled Mwai Kibaki to power in 2002, ending Kanu’s decades-long rule. The coalition later fractured due to internal disagreements, giving rise to smaller outfits, among them NARC–Kenya, which was for years associated with reform agenda politics under the leadership of Martha Karua.
However, like many parties that emerged from the NARC breakup, its influence has diminished over time, with most of its members aligning themselves with larger coalitions in subsequent elections.
The DCP, by contrast, is a recent entrant, born out of the political fallout between Mr Gachagua and President William Ruto. The party is positioning itself as an alternative platform for aspirants seeking space outside dominant alliances.
Speaking as he welcomed new entrants, Mr Gachagua said the party would prioritise credible nominations.
“We believe in the people and are committed to serving them as they wish. Our nominations will be free and fair at all levels,” he said.
The former Deputy President has also been using the party to rally leaders disenchanted with existing political formations, particularly those who have previously complained of opaque nomination processes.
Political analysts say the movement of aspirants from parties such as NARC–Kenya to DCP underscores growing uncertainty within Kenya’s party system, with smaller outfits struggling to retain influence as new alliances begin to take shape.
The developments point to an early phase of political reorganisation, with leaders testing new platforms as competition for elective seats gradually gathers momentum.
